


deirdre of the sorrows

by softheartelectricsoul



Category: The Tapestry Series - Henry H. Neff
Genre: 1980s, Childhood, Dreams, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-17 00:07:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16505345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softheartelectricsoul/pseuds/softheartelectricsoul
Summary: her name is deirdre fallow, and she is fourteen years old.





	deirdre of the sorrows

**Author's Note:**

> someone had to give this woman some personality sometime

Deirdre dreams of a woman named Bryn with an old and withered face.

Bryn is driving a horse-cart down a peaceful, grassy road. It reminds her somewhat of Ireland, from where her great-grandmother fled. But this isn't Ireland. The grass is too green, the air too crisp, her sight too sharp.

And there is danger in the air. Deirdre can tell there's something off about this fantasy-land, something older than the world lurking just out of sight.

Deirdre approaches the cart, floating along like a movie-camera.

 _This is not the road to Brugh na Boinne,_ Bryn rasps.

 _And it took you this long to realize it? Do you have any idea where you're going?_ A teen shouts from the cart. His face glowers with anger.

He looks familiar, awfully so. Maybe he's a schoolmate she strolled past once, or a friend she has forgot. However, Deirdre has the feeling that it's something deeper. Someone she loves, or will love. She shakes her transparent head.

Another boy, this one blond and ghostly, rushes to console him. _She didn't mean to take the wrong way._

The horse cart turns around, and Bryn turns her gaze. Bryn's ancient, knowing eyes catch Deirdre's scared young ones, and she notes their deep brown shade- so similar to her own.

* * *

  


Darkness.

Where is she?

_Deirdre, honey?_

_Yes?_

_You will meet a man who can tell the future, and he will call you from a past you left behind. When he beckons you, do not hesitate. The fate of the world rests on your shoulders._

It's a message from the future, Deirdre realizes. A message from Bryn.

But who, exactly, is Bryn?

She will dream of Bryn a thousand times before she turns eighteen.

* * *

  


“DEE!” Kathryn bellows.

Deirdre opens her eyes to find a black furry blob on her face. Mumbling, she moves Isis and smoothens her hair.

Her charge mewls. “I know, Isis, I'll take you down,” she mutters. Her feet touch the cold stone of the room, and she slowly comes awake.

Deirdre glares at her roommate, who's sipping tea and grinning. “Why'd you wake me? I was having a rad dream.”

“'Bout William?”

Deirdre blushes. Whether in embarrassment or anger, she can't tell. “Gag me with a spoon.”

“Everyone knows you totally like him.”

“Do not!”

“Do!”

“Anyway, Bob made waffles today. With, like, syrup and stuffs. Wanted to tell you.”

Deirdre springs out of the bunk and scrounges for her hairbrush, thoughts of Ireland and ancient crones forgotten. “Why didn't you tell me earlier?”

Her roommate laughs and scoops up Isis. “I'll meet you downstairs. I'm bringing Isis down for you—”

“Don't you dare lay a hand on her. I'll kill you,” she warns, but Kathryn's halfway out the door.

Deirdre sighs. “Wait for me!” She makes a cursory effort to straighten out her bed and goes to pull on her school uniform.

The sunlight streams through the turret room, the aftermath of Hurricane Teen Girls strewn throughout—VCRs, posters, textbooks.

And in the middle: Deirdre Fallow, fourteen years old, acne-ridden and hopelessly crushing on the tall, dark, and handsome boy in her Strategy class.

In the future, she will meet with gods and trek through worlds unseen. For now, however—there are waffles in the dining hall and she's running late for class.


End file.
